Wrap-around type carrier and blank therefor



Feb. 25, 1969 R. .1. HlcKlN 3,429,496

WRAP-AROUND TYPE CARRIER AND BLANK THEREFOR Filed Oct. 30, 1967#VVE/V701? ROBERT J H/CK//V BY PEA/LETO/V, /VEUM/V SE/BOLD W/L/MSATTORNEYS Fg. I

2/ @a y i United States Patent Office 3,429,496 Patented Feb. 25, 1969ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A wrap-around type carrier formed from asingle blank of foldable sheet material for accommodating a plurality ofarticles of like configuration arranged in upright s1de- 8 Claimslby-side relation and forming `at least one row of articles.

The carrier includes an elongated top panel, depending sidewall panelsand an elongated bottom panel; all of said panels cooperating to form atubular member encompassing the row of articles. Disposed at least atone end of the carrier is an elongated end panel which is adjacent to,but separate from an adjacent end edge of the top panel. The end limitsof the end panel are -foldably connected to adjacent edges of thesidewall panels whereby said end panel assumes a substantially concavedisposition with respect to the end of the car-ton and a transversedisposition with respect to the top panel.

Background of the invention Merchandising of bottled beverages forexample in a single, compact and portable package containing three, sixor eight individual bottles has become a popular and convenient methodof retailing such beverages. The bottles accommodated within the packageare normally arranged in upright side-by-side relation and form either asingle row in the case of three bottles or two parallel rows in the caseof six and eight bottles. The row or rows of bottles are normallyencompassed by a tubular-shaped carrier formed of paperboard or like onwhich attractive eye-catching advertising indicia is imprinted. In theretailing of such packaged beverages it is customary for a plurality ofloaded carriers to be arranged in stacked relation on a shelf which isreadily accessible to the customer. Because in many instances a largenumber of competitive carrier-packaged bottled beverages are arrangedside by side on the same shelf, only the open ends of the loadedcarriers are exposed to the view of the customer. Because of such anarrangement of the loaded carriers, it has been found a definiteadvantage to the customer while making a selection of a carrier-packedbottled beverage to have an ad, or identifying, panel formed on the openend of the carrier. Furthermore, such a panel serves to stabilize thebottles within the carrier and prevent accidental falling of theaccommodated bottles endwise of the carrier during normal handling ofthe loaded carrier.

Various so-called ad-panel, wrap-around carriers have heretofore beenprovided; however, due to certain design characteristics, the end (ad)panels thereof are ineffective for the above-stated purposes. Forexample, in certain structures the end panel is foldably connected tothe sidewall panels as well as the top panel with the result that theend panel does not readily remain in its desired folded position, butdue to the iight of the paperboard used in forming the carrier, issusceptible to returning its unfolded condition wherein it issubstantially coplanar with the top panel. In other instances where thead-panel is foldably connected to the top panel diiculty is sometimesencountered in manually folding the panel inwardly.

Summary of the invention Thus, it is an object of this invention toprovide a wraparound type carrier which is not beset with the aforenotedshortcomings of the prior art structures.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a wrap-aroundcarrier which is of simple and inexpensive construction, attractive inappearance, and may be readily manipulated either mechanically ormanually into carrying engagement with a plurality of bottles or thelike.

Further and additional -objects will appear from the description,accompanying drawings and appended claims.

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, a Wrap-around typecarrier is provided which is formed from a single blank of foldable-material and is adapted to accommodate six bottles of likeconiiguration arranged in side-by-side relation and in two parallel rowsof three bottles each. The carrier comprises an elongated top panelwhich is adapted to overlie the accommodated bottles. Sidewall panelsare provided which are foldably connected to opposite elongated sideedges of the top panel and depend therefrom. A bottom panel is foldablyconnected to the bottom edges of the sidewall panels and is adapted tosubtend the accommodated bottles. The top, sidewall and bottom panelscooperate with one another to form a tubular member. Disposed at eachend of the tubular member is an elongated end panel. Each end panel isdisposed adjacent to but separated from a narrow edge of the top paneland has the opposite end limits thereof foldably connected to theadjacent edges of the depending sidewall panels. The end panels assumeconcave positions and are transversely disposed with respect to the toppanel.

For a more complete understanding of the invention reference should bemade to the drawing wherein:

FIG. l is a top plan view of a blank for one form of the improvedcarrier;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the improved carrier shown in loadedcondition; and

FIG. 3 is an end elevation view of F IG. 2.

Description Referring now to FIG. 2, one form of an improved wraparoundtype carrier 10 is shown loaded with six bottles 11 which are arrangedin side-by-side relation to form a pair of parallel rows A and B ofthree bottles each. While six bottles are shown accommodated by thecarrier 10, it is to be understood of course that the number of bottlesmay be increased or decreased without departing from the scope of theinvention. In instances Where only three bottles are being accommodatedthey are arranged in a single row. Furthermore, the improved carrier isnot restricted to accommodating only beverage bottles but instead mayaccommodate articles of various other shapes and sizes from that asshown. In any case the articles being accommodated by a single carriershould be of like configuration.

The carrier 10 is formed from a blank of sheet material (i.e.paperboard) of suitable point on which attractive and eye-appealingindicia has been imprinted. The blank l0, as seen in FIG. l, comprisesan elongated top panel 13 which is adapted, in the illustratedembodiment, to overlie the tops of the accommodated articles 11. A pairof finger openings 14 are formed in the panel 13 to facilitate handcarrying of the loaded carrier.

Connected by foldlines 15 and 16 to the opposite elongated side edges oftop panel 13 are sidewalls panels 17 and 18. The foldlines 15 and 16 areinterrupted by longitudinally spaced struck-ont tabs 20 and 21, whichare adapted, when the blank is set up and loaded, to provide suitableopenings 20a and 21a in which are disposed portions of the upper ends11a of the bottles 11. The openings 20a and 21a serve to retain thebottle upper ends in proper spaced relation.

Each sidewall panel 17 or 18 is provided with foldably connectedsections 17a, b and c or 18a, b and c. The upper panel sections 17a and18a extend divergently downwardly from the top panel 13 when the blankis set up, see FIG. 3, so as to conform approximately to the taperedconfiguration of the bottle upper-end portions. The middle sections 17band 1817 extend vertically downwardly from the lower edges of sections17a and 18a and snugly engage therebetween the central portions of theaccommodated bottles. To the bottom edge of each middle section 17b or18h is a lower section 17e or 18C. The sections 17e and 18C extendconvergently downwardly from the middle sections 17b and 1811.`Connected by foldlines 22 to the lower edges of sections 17e and 18e arebottom-forming panels 23 and 24. Each foldline 22 is interrupted by aplurality of longitudinally spaced openings 25 which are adapted toaccommodate lower portions 11C of the bottles. The openings 25 coactwith the bottle lower portions 11b and retain the latter in their properrelative positions. The number and shape of the sidewall panel sectionswill depend upon the number and shape of the articles accommodated bythe carrier.

The bottom-forming panels 23 and 24 are adapted to overlap one anotherwhen the carrier is set up and are retained in said overlapping relationby any suitable means, such as a plurality of tabs 26 formed along theouter edge of panel 23, and a like number of openings 27 formed alongthe outer edge of panel 24. The manner of retaining panels 23 and 24 inoverlapping relation forms no part of the instant invention.

Disposed adjacent each narrow edge of top panel 13 and separatedtherefrom by an elongated slit or cut 28 is an end or ad panel 30. Asillustrated, the ends of each slit 28 terminate at foldlines 15 and 16;however, if desired they may extend slightly beyond same and be curvedrelative to one another into divergent relation. The opposite ends ofeach panel 30 are connected to the adjacent edges of the upper sidewallpanel sections 17a and 18a by foldlines 31 and 32 which extenddivergently outwardly from the ends of foldlines and 16, respectively,see FIG. 1. In the illustrated embodiment each end panel 30 is providedwith a pair of second foldlines 33 which are axial extensions offoldlines 15 and 16. The foldlines 31, 32 and 33 cooperate to permit theend panel 30 to be readily folded downwardly with respect to the toppanel 13 and assume a substantially concave or recess position, see FIG.2. When the end panel 30 is in its downwardly folded position, it isretained in such position by the gusset-like segments 34 which areformed at each end of the panel 30 between foldlines 31-33 and 32-33 andextend inwardly toward the bottles 11 as seen more clearly in FIG. 2.

If desired, the foldlines 33 may be omitted in which case the end panels11 will assume inwardly bowed positions when folded downwardly withrespect to the top panel 13` In either case the angular disposition ofthe foldlines 31 and 32 and the separation of each end panel from theadjacent edge of the top panel 13 by the slit or cut 28 permit the endpanel to be readily folded downwardly and remain in such position.

The downwardly folded end panels 30 serve two functions: (a) provideindicia means which is observable when the loaded carrier is viewedendwise, and (b) prevent the upper portions of the end bottles fromaccidentally falling endwise out of the carrier.

Thus it will be seen that a simple, inexpensive, attractive and eiectivewrap-around carrier has been provided which incorporates an ad-panelwhich provides end identification for the carrier and better retentionof the articles within the carrier.

While several modifications of the invention have heretofore beendescribed, it is to be understood that further modifications arecontemplated and it is intended therefore by the appended claims tocover such further moditications.

I claim:

1. A Wrap-around type carrier for use in packaging a plurality ofarticles of like configuration arranged in upright side-by-side relationto form at least one row of articles, said carrier comprising anelongated top panel for engaging the top portions of the accommodatedrow of articles, a pair of sidewall panels foldably connected to anddepending from opposed elongated side edges of said top panel; a bottompanel foldably connected to the lower edges of the depending sidewallpanels for subtending the accommodated articles, said top, sidewall andbottom panels cooperating to form a tubular member for encompassing thearticle row; and elongated end panels disposed adjacent to but separatedfrom by a cut line the narrow end edges of said top panel, each endpanel having the opposite end limits thereof foldably connected toadjacent edges of said depending sidewall panels, said end panelassuming a substantially concave disposition with respect to the end ofthe carton and a transverse disposition with respect to said top panel.

2. The carrier of claim 1 wherein each sidewall panel includes an uppersection having the upper edge portion thereof foldably connected to theelongated side edge of the top panel, said upper section extendingobliquely downwardly from said top panel and having the lower edgeportion thereof foldably connected to a second section of said sidewallpanel; said end panel end limits being foldably connected to thesidewall panel upper sections.

3. The carrier of claim 2 wherein the foldline connection between saidtop panel and said sidewall upper section is interrupted by a pluralityof longitudinally spaced openings for lockingly engaging the upperportions of the accommodated row of articles.

4. The carrier of claim 1 wherein each sidewall panel includes a lowersection having the upper edge portion thereof foldably connected to asecond sidewall section and the lower edge portion thereof foldablyconnected to the bottom panel; the foldline connection between saidsidewall lower section and said bottom panel being interrupted by aplurality of longitudinally spaced openings for lockingly engaging thelower portions of the accommodated row of articles.

5. The carrier of claim 1 wherein each end panel is provided with secondfoldlines, one disposed adjacent each end limit and extending axiallyfrom the end of the fold connection between said top panel and saidadjacent sidewall panel; each second foldline extending across said endpanel and being transversely disposed with respect to the longitudinaldimension of said elongated end panel.

6. The carrier of claim 5 wherein each second foldline and the adjacentfoldline connection between said end panel end line and said adjacentsidewall panel form an acute angle and define a gusset-like end segmentof said end panel, whereby the portion of the end panel intermediatesaid gusset-like end segments assumes a substantially perpendiculardisposition with respect to the plane of said top panel and overlies anupper portion of the end article of the accommodated row of articles.

7. A blank for a wrap-around type carrier comprising an elongated toppanel, sidewall panels foldably connected to the opposite elongatededges of said top panel, a bottom panel foldably connected to at leastone sidewall along an edge thereof opposite the edge connected to saidtop panel, and an elongated end panel disposed adjacent to but separatedfrom a narrow edge of said top panel; the end limits of said end panelbeing connected by foldlines to adjacent edge portions of said sidewallpanels, said foldlines extending divergently from the ends of the foldconnections between said top panel and said sidewall panels.

8. The blank of claim 7 wherein said end panels includes secondfoldlines extending axially from the fold` 5 6 connections between saidtop panel and said sidewall 3,202,584 8/ 1965 Forrer 206-65 panels; saidend limit-fold connection and one of said 3,270,914 9/ 1966 Graser206--65 second foldlines dening a gusset-like end segment of 3,339,7239/ 1967 Wood 206-65 said end panel. 3,381,816 5/ 1968 Forrer 206-65References Cited 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, PrimaryExaminer. Re.24,667 7/1959 Finding 20s-65 US-C1XR- 2,222,211 11/1940Ameson 22o-112 206-655 22o-112 2,382,844 8/1945 Arneson 220-112

